Category Archives: Government Shutdown

Budget solution means our revenues still don’t match up with our priorities

Late Thursday afternoon, Governor Dayton and legislative leaders came to an agreement on a framework for the state’s budget that will have a profound impact on Minnesota’s future economic vitality and fiscal health. The agreement increases the size of the … Continue reading

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Governor’s current budget offer relies on one-time measures and deep cuts in services

On Thursday, policymakers took a significant step in the ongoing discussion of how Minnesota will meet its needs over the next two years. At stake are decisions that will have a profound impact on the state’s future quality of life and economic vitality. On Thursday … Continue reading

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Court rules some social services should be funded during the shutdown

On Wednesday, Judge Kathleen Gearin accepted recommendations from Special Master Kathleen Blatz that a number of social services be funded during the state government shutdown. Here is a rundown of Wednesday’s rulings. Child care. Judge Gearin originally ruled that only federally-funded child … Continue reading

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Special Master hearings yield a little good news

More government funding will flow in response to orders issued by Judge Kathleen Gearin on Thursday. The decisions are the result of a series of hearings over the last few days before court-appointed Special Master Kathleen Blatz. On June 29, Judge Gearin issued a ruling that … Continue reading

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Minnesota’s bond rating drops amid budget instability

On Thursday, Fitch Ratings downgraded Minnesota’s bond rating from AAA to AA+, impacting $5.7 billion in state general obligation bonds. The news comes at a critical time in state budget discussions and underscores the need for a long-term solution that … Continue reading

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Tobacco bonding would borrow from our future

In the waning hours of negotiations on June 30, legislative leaders put an old proposal on the table: tapping our future tobacco settlement money for some one-time, up-front cash. It’s a plan that would borrow money from Minnesota’s future to pay our … Continue reading

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First day of the state government shutdown

As we enter the first day of the Minnesota state government shutdown, we wanted to take a few moments to reflect on what is still running and direct you to resources you may find useful. Earlier this week, the court … Continue reading

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Special Master will hear petitions on Friday, July 1

Judge Kathleen Gearin appointed former Supreme Court Justice Kathleen Blatz as the Special Master to hear petitions and make recommendations to the Court on issues regarding funding during a state government shutdown. This will help clarify any remaining questions as … Continue reading

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Court decides what goes, what stays in a state government shutdown

On Wednesday morning, Judge Kathleen Gearin issued her much-anticipated ruling on what government services should continue in the event no state budget is in place on July 1. As was expected, her ruling places very strict limits on what can be funded during … Continue reading

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Shutdown gets its day in court, but no ruling until next week

**Note: Judge Kathleen Gearin issued her order on June 29, 2011. For information on what’s included in that order, visit our more recent blog post.** The question of how the state would (or would not) function in the event of a government shutdown … Continue reading

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